Painting machine with renewing mask

ABSTRACT

A painting machine which comprises a pair of elongated webs, spaced parallel web supporting bars, there being a painting station underlying the bars, means for advancing the webs around the bars, and a paint spray head overlying the bars and directed toward the painting station, the portion of the webs overlying the bars forming paint masks overlying the painting station.

Unite States Patent James F. Chatain Madison, lnd.;

James E. Spears, Alexandria, Ky. 772,588

Nov. 1, 1968 June 15, 1971 Textron, Inc.

Providence, R.I.

inventors Appl, No. Filed Patented Assignee PAINTING MACHINE WITH RENEWING MASK 4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl

Int. Cl B05c 5/00 Field of Search 118/301, 323, 324, 504

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,545,638 3/1951 Wheatley 118/504 2,744,033 5/1956 Juvinall 118/323X 3,296,999 1/1967 Gamble 118/301X 3,434,458 3/1969 Huff et a1 118/301 Primary ExaminerJohn P. Mclntosh Attorney-Pearce and Schaeperklaus ABSTRACT: A painting machine which comprises a pair of elongated webs, spaced parallel web supporting bars, there being a painting station underlying the bars, means for advancing the webs around the bars, and a paint spray head overlying the bars and directed toward the painting station, the portion of the webs overlying the bars forming paint masks overlying the painting station.

PATENTEU M1 51% SHEET 2 BF 3 JNVENTOR. CHASTAIN Attorneys PAINTING MACHINE WITII RENEWING MASK This invention relates to a machine for painting a stripe of paint on an elongated member. More particularly, this invention relates to a machine having mask members which catch excess paint during spray painting of a stripe of paint.

An object of this invention is to provide a mask for a stripe painting machine which is continually renewed during painting so that there is no buildup of paint on the mask.

Briefly, this invention provides a paint spraying machine provided with a pair of spaced parallel mask supports which overlie a belt or the like which carries articles to receive a stripe of paint. Webs of thin sheet material are advanced over the mask supports so that a fresh masking edge of the web is constantly exposed to catch excess paint and define a sharp edge for masking the paint spray. The paint spray gun can be moved or oscillated lengthwise of the slot between the mask supports to spread the paint which is caught on the webs.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which this inven' tion pertains from the following detailed description and the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a somewhat schematic view in front elevation of a painting machine constructed in accordance with an embodiment of this invention;

FIG.. 2 is a view in section taken on an enlarged scale on the line 2-2 in FIG. 1, portions of ends on lengths of trim being shown in dot-dash lines;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view in front elevation;

FIG. 4 is a view in section taken on an enlarged scale on the line 4-4 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view in section taken on an enlarged scale on the same line 4-4, a length of trim being shown in association therewith; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a length of trim painted in the machine.

In the following detailed description and the drawings like reference characters indicate like parts.

In FIG. 1 is shown a machine 12 which is constructed in accordance with an embodiment of this invention. The machine 12 includes an elongated main frame 13 of generally inverted channel shape as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 having a table forming web 14 and downwardly extending main flanges 16 and 17. inwardly directed edge flanges 18 and 19 extend inwardly from lower edges of the main flanges 16 and 17, respectively. Ends of the main frame 13 are supported by standards 21 and 22 (FIG. 1). Appropriate braces (not shown in detail) can extend between the standards 21 and 22 and the main frame 13.

An endless belt 24 runs on the table forming web 14 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5. As shown in FIG. 1, the belt 24 runs on pulleys 26 and 27. The pulley 26 is mounted on a shaft 28 which carries a pulley 23' on which a drive belt 28 runs. The drive belt 28" is driven by a motor 29. A lower course 29' of the belt 24 returns under the frame 13. The belt 24 is provided with upstanding ribs 30, 30' and 31 (FIG. 5) which engage the underside of a length of trim 33 to support the length and carry the length past a painting station 34 (FIG. 1). As shown in FIG. 6, the trim length 33 is provided with a central plate portion 35, upwardly extending flanges 36 and 37, on opposite sides of the plate portion 341, outwardly and downwardly extending angled portions 38 and 39 outboard of the flanges 36 and 37, respectively, and inwardly turned edge flanges 41 and 12. The machine is arranged to print a stripe of paint on the plate portion 35 of the trim strip as the strip is carried by the belt past the painting station.

A paint spray head 44 (FIGS. 2 and 4) is mounted above the belt 24 at the painting station 34. The spray head 44 is carried by an adjustable bracket 46 mounted on an upper arm 47 of a C-shaped frame 47'. A lower arm 48 (FIG. 4) of the frame 47' is attached to a slide which slides horizontally on tracks 51 and 52, as shown in FIG. 5. The slide 49 is linked to a crank 53 by a link 54, which is pivotally connected to the slide 49. The crank 53 is mounted on the shaft 28 and turns therewith so that the slide 49, the frame 47' and the spray head 64- move back and forth as the belt 24 advances, the limits of movement of the frame 47' being shown in FIG. 2 by dot-dash lines at 47'a and i7'b. The spray head 44 moves back and forth or oscillates slowly while the belt 24, which carries trim strips to be painted, can move much more quickly.

The portions of the trim strip 33 which do not receive paint including the downwardly and outwardly extending angled portions 38 and 39 and the inwardly turned flanges 41 and 42 are masked by paint masking webs 56 and 57 (FIG. 5) which pass around guide plates or bars 58 and 59, respectively. Wear plates 61 and 62 are attached to lower faces of the guide plates 58 and 59, respectively.

The guide plates 58 and 59 are supported from brackets 64 (FIG. 2) and 66 (FIGS. 2 and 5) each of which includes a transverse bar portion 67 (FIG. 5) which spans the frame 13 and downwardly extending legs 68 and 69 which are attached to opposite faces of the frame 13. Hanger bolts 71, which extend through slots 72 in the transverse bar portions, support the guide plates so that the guide plates can be adjusted inwardly and outwardly to properly position the guide plates 58 and 59.

As shown in FIG. 4, the web 56 is supplied by a supply roll 73, and the web 57 is supplied by a supply roll 74. The webs can be of a plastic film such as a polyethylene film or the like which can closely follow the edges of the wear plates 61 and 62 (FIG. 5). After having passed the wear plate 61, the web 56 is received upon a takeup roll 76 (FIG. 4) and, after passing the wear plate 62, the web 57 is received on a takeup roll 77. The supply rolls 73 and 74 are mounted on shafts 78 and 79, respectively. The takeup rolls 76 and 77 are mounted on shafts 81 and 82, respectively. The shafts 78, 79, 81 and 82 are rotatably mounted between pillars 83, which are mounted on the frame 13.

The shafts 81 and 82 (FIG. 4) are connected to turn in unison by a belt 84 running on pulleys 86 and 87 (FIG. 4) mounted on the shafts 81 and 82, respectively. The shaft 82 is driven by a belt 88 which runs on a pulley 89 mounted on the shaft 82. The belt 88 is driven by a motor 91 and gearing 92 which turn a pulley 93 on which the belt 89 runs. The motor 91 and gearing 92 are supported on a plate 94 suspended by bolts 95 below a frame plate 96 which is attached to the underside of the frame 13.

As shown in FIG. 5, the webs 56 and 57 pass around acute angled edge portions 97 and 98 of the wear plates 61 and 62, respectively, immediately above the trim strip 33 traveling on the belt 24. The webs form a paint mask which is constantly renewed so that there is no buildup of paint on the masking edges. The back and forth movement of the spray head 44 spreads the paint across the webs to further reduce buildup of paint at any position on the webs. However, the speed of advance of the belt 24 and of the trim strip thereon is so much faster than the speed of advance of the spray head that a substantially even and uniform paint stripe is applied to the trim strip.

The paint masking apparatus described above and illustrated in the drawings is subject to structural modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by letters patent is:

1. A painting machine which comprises an elongated web, a web supporting bar, there being a painting station underlying the bar, means for advancing the web around the bar, a paint spray head overlying the bar and directed toward the painting station, the portion of the web overlying the bar forming a paint mask overlying the painting station and means for oscillating the paint spray head lengthwise of the web supporting bar as paint is sprayed thereby.

2. A painting machine as in claim 1 wherein there is a second web supporting bar overlying the painting station parallel to and spaced from the aforementioned web supporting bar, a second web, and means for advancing the second web around the second web supporting bar, the portion of the second web overlying the second web supporting bar forming a paint mask overlying the painting station, whereby the paint spray head sprays a band of paint at the painting station.

the paint spraying head and the web supporting bars whereby the band of paint extends along the article as a stripe thereon.

4. A paint spraying machine as in claim 3 wherein the means for advancing the article advances substantially faster than the 3 A painting machine as in claim 2 wherein there is a com 5 speed of advance of the paint spray head oscillating means.

veyor at the painting station for advancing and article beneath 

1. A painting machine which comprises an elongated web, a web supporting bar, there being a painting station underlying the bar, means for advancing the web around the bar, a paint spray head overlying the bar and directed toward the painting station, the portion of the web overlying the bar forming a paint mask overlying the painting station and means for oscillating the paint spray head lengthwise of the web supporting bar as paint is sprayed thereby.
 2. A painting machine as in claim 1 wherein there is a second web supporting bar overlying the painting station parallel to and spaced from the aforementioned web supporting bar, a second web, and means for advancing the second web around the second web supporting bar, the portion of the second web overlying the second web supporting bar forming a paint mask overlying the painting station, whereby the paint spray head sprays a band of paint at the painting station.
 3. A painting machine as in claim 2 wherein there is a conveyor at the painting station for advancing and article beneath the paint spraying head and the web supporting bars whereby the band of paint extends along the article as a stripe thereon.
 4. A paint spraying machine as in claim 3 wherein the means for advancing the article advances substantially faster than the speed of advance of the paint spray head oscillating means. 